Sylheti Biryani

60 min · serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 cups Basmati rice
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon ghee
• ¼ teaspoon whole cumin seeds
• ½ tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
• 4 green cardamom pods
• 1-inch cinnamon stick, broken into pieces
• 2 bay leaves
• 5 cloves
• 6 black peppercorns
• Salt to taste
• 4–5 green chiles
• 1 teaspoon Kewra water (pandan flower extract)
• 1 teaspoon rose water
• Your choice of meat (e.g. chicken, lamb, or beef)

Steps

1. Rinse the Basmati rice thoroughly and soak it in water for about 30 minutes. Drain the rice and set it aside.
2. In a large, heavy-bottomed pan or pot, heat the ghee over medium heat.
3. Add the whole cumin seeds, ginger-garlic paste, sliced onion, green cardamom, cinnamon pieces, bay leaves, cloves, and black peppercorns. Sauté until the onions turn golden brown and aromatic.
4. Add your meat to the pan and cook until it's no longer pink.
5. Add the drained rice to the pan and stir well, ensuring it's coated with the flavorful mixture.
6. Pour in enough water to cover the rice (typically about 4 cups of water for 2 cups of rice). Season with salt according to your taste.
7. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer for about 15–20 minutes or until the rice is cooked and the water is absorbed.
8. While the rice is cooking, make shallow cuts (slits) on the green chilies to release their flavor.
9. Once the rice is done, remove it from heat and let it sit, covered, for a few more minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
10. Serve the aromatic Sylheti biryani hot, garnished with the slitted green chilies, a dash of Kewra water, and a sprinkle of rose water for a delightful touch.

More recipes with rice, onion, butter, cumin, ginger garlic paste, cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaves, cloves, chile peppers, rosewater or chicken

Adapted from “Sylheti Biryani” in the Wikibooks Cookbook by its contributors, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Reformatted for this site; this page's recipe text is shared under the same license.